Electromagnetically operated timing mechanism



5 1.2238 1, H KELK ET AL 2,442,497

ELECTROMAGNETICALLY OPERATED TIMING MECHANISM Filed Aug. 5, 1945 2Sheets-Sheet 1.

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ELECTROMAGNETICALLY OPERATED TIMING MECHANISM Filed Aug. 3, 1945 1 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Q n 0 N n X X X x g 3 I vENToRS /ILLIAM H.H. Km, DENISOWENBURNS A TTOR/VE (S I 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 lOl I l2 l3 |4IS l6 E7 i8 i9202l2223 2425262728 29308323334353637839404|424344454647484950 PatentedJune 1, 1948 OFFICE EIiECTROMAGNETICALIZY OPERATED TIMING'MECHANISMWilliam Hyde-Hastings Kelk andaDenis wen- Burns; SouthEarnborough,England Application August 3, 1945, Serial No. 608,678 I'n'Great BritainOctober 18, 1943 'I-hisinvent-ion relates to improvements inelectromagnetically'operated-timingmechanisms: The object ofthe-invention is the generation of pulses at apredeterminedfundamental-frequency'ior distribution to' apluralityof channels capable of"preselection to provide output pulses at the preselectedtiming intervalsin an output circuit.

The inventioncomprises generating pulses of a predetermined fundamentalfrequency, dis-- tributingthe pulses through a plurality of chairnel-s;selectively connecting any one or more of said channels to an outputcircuit-to obtain in saidoutput circuit a range-of-pulse frequenciesincludingthefundamental frequency and submultiples of the fundamentalfrequency: and employingthe pulses so obtained to actuate electricaldevices in timed sequence.

Theiinventi'on will be described with reference to'theaccompanyingdrawings which show schemati'ca'lly' the arrangement of the circuits.

Fig, .1 is'a diagrammatic view of'a circuit for generating anddistributing a fundamental'pulse and'preeselecting one of a plurality ofoutput pulses.

Fig. 2i's an expandedjview of the grouping of contacts of banksTore-rotary line switch or uniselector 'Iito. provide six sub-multiplesof the,

fundamental pulse.

A fundamental pulse may be. generated by the employment/of two; crossconnected relays AP andBP. The relay AP provided with acoi'l has anormally open contactiAPlxand the relay BP provided witha coil BP c hasasingle; normally closed contact BP. The.

cross-commotion of; the two relays-when current is supplied tothe-circuit generates a fundamental pulse, the frequency of whichdepends on the constants oi' the relays AP andBP andmaybe preferablyshunted; by; a; resistance and: capacity;

' merit of the grouping of the contacts of the banks YTS to preventsparking at the-contacts, which operates a rotary line switch oruniselector T havin a plurality of banks of contacts. arrangement shownin thedrawing' two banks T eachoi- 25 contacts are connected in serieswith the exception of contact l, and a further two banks T each of 25contacts connected ingroups receive the output pulses in successionthrough the contact APE.

The rotary line switch or uniselector T is of known construction andcomprises a stepping switch, used for switching impulses to a numberofoutgoing feeds consecutively, consisting of a magneticallycperatedspring returned pawl and ratchet mechanism operating on, the, reversedrive principled. e. the switch steps or moves to the next outputcontact when the magnet is deenergised. The fundamental pulse istransmitted to the two banks T by twowiper arms 15 mounted on a centralspindle t and arranged at 180 to each other, thus simulating a singlebank of 50 contacts. Thefundamental pulse is also transmitted to the twobanks T by two wiper arms t similarly mounted on the spindle so thatbothpairsofarms i 73 step in unison on the closing of a control switchF8 to operate a, holdi'ngrelay with contact FR.

The first contact of the banks T is connected in the circuit'controlledby the switch FS and the remaining contacts 2-5il are connected inseries and to an independent positive supply so that whenthe wiper arm thas moved from contact lpulseswill continue to be generated on thealternative positive supply line so that should an interrupter contact Ybe actuated to open the relay. FR the wiper arms will continue to stepuntil the arm 15 has horned to contact I where it is 'in' position torestart the cycle on a subsequent closing of the switch F5. The arrange-T shown diagrammatically in Fig. 2, provides six output frequencies orpulses Xi, X2; X5; Xi ll. X25 and X5ii all of which are sub-multiples ofthe fundamental frequency or pulse. Thus if the fundamental frequency i0.66 sec. and an output pulse of 3 seconds is desired, timing multipleX50 which includes-the first contact A alone, is selected by a rotarypreselector switch X. Similarly, if an output frequency orpulse of, 0.12sec; is-desiredttiming multiple X2 including contacts A, EanelC, i. e.,25' alternate contacts, is selected.

In the v the frequencies available.

tacts. The moving contact system 3: is provided a with a pointer movableover a dial marked with frequency or pulse is transmitted along a line ain each case since the contact A is common to all the frequencies orpulses. v

An output relay with contact OR in the output line a transmits thepulses to the output circuit. This relay also influences the on to oilratio and in order accurately to follow the timing a low inertia relayshould be employed. In order to adjust the on? time of the contacts 0Rindependently of the adjustment for the cross connected relays theoutput relay selector switches is possible to provide a large range ofavailable frequencies.

What we claim as our invention and desire to V secure by Letters Patentis:

1. Electromagnetic timing mechanism comprising a rotary switch;electromagnetic means for generating pulses at a predeterminedfrequency; electromagnetic means for actuating the rotary switch insteps, one stepper pulse gen erated; a selector switch; a timing bank inthe rotary switch including a series of contacts and a brushco-operating with said contacts in succession as the rotary switch isadvanced in steps, one contact per step in succession; a'connection tothe timing bank brush from the pulse generating means whereby pulses areapplied to the timing bank contacts one pulse per contact in succession;and said timing bank contacts being connected in groups to the selectorswitch; whereby output pulses are afiorded at the selector switch attime intervals dependent on the setting of the latter.

succession as the rotary switch is advanced in steps, one contact perstep in succession; a connection tothe timing bank brush from the pulseThe selected output geneiating'means whereby pulses areapplied to thetiming bank contacts one pulse per contact in succession; and saidtiming bank contacts being connected in groups to the selector switch;whereby output pulses are afiorded at the selector switch at timeintervals dependent on the setting of the latter.

3. Electromagnetic timing mechanism comprising supply leads; two relayswhich are crossconnected for generating pulses at apredeterminedfrequency and have an additional pair of contacts which areopened and closed for eve y pulse generated; a rotary switch; means forad vancing. the rotary switch in steps one step per pulse generated; aselector switch; a timing bank in the rotary switch including a seriesof contacts and a brush co-operating with said contacts in succession asthe rotary switch is advanced in steps; the timing bank brush beingevery pulse generated; a rotary switch;means for advancing the rotaryswitch in steps one step per pulse generated; a selector switch; ahold-in bank in the rotary switch including contacts which are connectedtogether and to one supply lead and a brush co-operating with saidcontacts in succession as the rotary switch is advanced in steps; atiming bank in the rotary switch including a series of contacts and abrush co-operating with said contacts in succession as the rotary switchis advanced in steps; the timing bank brush being connected in serieswith the additional pair of contacts of the cross-connected relays withone supply lead whereby pulses are applied to the timing bank contactsone pulse per contact in succession; and said timing bank contacts beingconnected in groups to the selector switch,'whereby output pulses areafforded at the selector switch at time intervals, dependent on thesetting of the latter.

5. Electromagnetic timing mechanism comprising supply leads; a rotaryswitch; two relays erating with said contacts; means including a magnetcoil for advancing the rotary switch in steps one contact of said timingbank per step in succession; said magnet coil being connected in serieswith one of the additional pairs of contacts of the cross-connectedrelays with the supply leads, whereby the rotary switch is advanced onestep per pulse generated; and the timing bank brush being connected inseries with the other of the additional pairs of contacts of thecross-connected relays to one supply lead, whereby pulses are applied tothe timing bank contacts one pulse per contact in succession; and saidtiming bank contacts being connected in groups to the selector switch;whereby output pulses are afforded at the selector switch at timeintervals dependent on the setting of the latter.

6. Electromagnetic timing mechanism comprising supply leads; a rotaryswitch; two relays which are cross-connected for generating pulses at apredetermined frequency and have two additional pairs of contacts whichare opened and closed for every pulse generated; a selector switch; ahold-in bank in the rotary switch including contacts which are connectedtogether and to one supply lead and a brush co-operating with saidcontacts in succession as the rotary switch is advanced in steps; atiming bank in the rotary switch including a series of contacts and abrush co-operating with said contacts; means including a magnet coil foradvancing the rotary switch in steps one contact of said timing bank perstep in succession; said magnet coil being connected in series with oneof the additional pairs of contacts of the cross-connected relays withthe supply leads, whereby the rotary switch is advanced one step perpulse generated; and the timing bank brush being connected in serieswith the other of the additional pairs of contacts of thecross-connected relays to one supply lead,

whereby pulses are applied to the timing bankcontacts one pulse percontact in succession, and said timing bank contacts being connected ingroups to the selector switch; whereby output pulses are aflorded at theselector switch at time intervals dependent on the setting of thelatter.

7. Electromagnetic timing apparatus comprising supply leads; a startingand stopping circuit including means for closing and opening it andwhich is connected with one supply lead; two relays which arecross-connected to generate pulses at a predetermined frequency and havetwo additional pairs of contacts which are opened and closed for everypulse generated; a selector switch; a rotary switch having meansincluding a magnet coil for advancing it in steps one step for each timesaid magnet coil is energised; a timing bank in said rotary switchincluding a series of contacts and a brush co-operating with saidcontacts in succession as the rotary switch is advanced; a hold-inbankin the rotary switch including contacts which are connected together andto said one supply lead, a contact which is connected via the startingand stopping circuit with said one supply lead and which is alsoconnected via one of the additional pairs of contacts of thecross-connected relays with the timing bank brush and a brushco-operating with said contacts as the rotary switch is advanced andwhich brush is connected via the cross-connected relays with anothersupply lead; the magnet coil of the means for advancing the rotaryswitch in steps being connected in series with the other additional pairof contacts of the cross-connected relays between the hold-in bank brushand the other supply lead; and, the contacts of the timing bank beingconnected in groups with the selector switch; whereby when the startingand stopping circuit is closed pulses are generated by thecrossconnected relays, the rotary switch is advanced one step per pulsegenerated, pulses are applied to the timing bank contacts in successionand these are afforded at the selector switch output pulses at timeintervals dependent on which of the groups of said timing bank contactsis selected by the selector switch and whereby when the starting andstopping circuit is open such operation will continue until andunlessthe hold-in bank brush is in co-operation with the hold-in bankcontact which is connected via the starting and stopping circuit with asupply lead.

8. Electromagnetic timing mechanism comprising supply leads; a startingand stopping circuit including means for opening and closing it and ahold-in relay for holding it closed and which circuit is connected withone supply lead; two relays which are cross-connected to generate pulsesat a predetermined frequency and have two additional pairs of contactswhich are opened and closed for every pulse generated; a selectorswitch; a rotary switch having means including a magnet coil foradvancing it in steps one step for each time said magnet coil isenergised; a timing bank in said rotary switch including a series ofcontacts and a brush co-operating with said contacts in succession asthe rotary switch is advanced; a hold-in bank in the rotary switchincluding contacts which are connected together and to said one supplylead, a contact which is connected via the starting and stopping circuitwith said one supply lead and which is also connected via one of theadditional pairs of contacts of the cross-connected relays with thetiming bank brush and a brush co-operating with said contacts as therotary switch is advanced and which brush is connected via thecross-connected relays with another supply lead; the magnet coil of themeans for advancing the rotary switch in steps being connected in serieswith the other additional pair of contacts of the cross-connected relaysbetween the hold-in bank brush and the other supply lead; and, thecontacts of the timing bank being connected in groups with the selectorswitch; whereby when the starting and stopping circuit is closed pulsesare generated by the crossconnected relays, the rotary switch isadvanced one step per pulse generated, pulses are applied to the timingbank contacts in succession and these are afforded at the selectorswitch output pulses at time intervals dependent on which of the groupsof said timing bank contacts is selected by the selector switch andwhereby when the starting and stopping circuit is open such operationwill continue until and unless the hold-in bank brush is in co-operationwith the hold-in bank contact which is connected via the starting andstopping circuit with a supply lead.

WILLIAM HYDE HASTINGS KELK. DENIS OWEN BURNS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 929,602 Krum July 27, 19091,424,328 Verrando Aug. 1, 1922 1,653,736 Shackleton Dec. 27, 19271,957,672 Saunders May 8, 1932 2,144,033 Root Jan. 17, 1939 2,206,660Bryce July 2, 1940 2,384,792 Brown Sept. 18, 1945

